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Workflow approvals

How approvals work in Factura HRMS: configure workflow settings and approvers, set notification preferences, and follow multi-level approval.

For HR admin, Manager or approver · Last reviewed

Overview

The Workflow Approval System in Factura HRMS enables organizations to route Expense Requests, Leave Requests, and Loan Requests through a structured, multi-level approval chain. Requests move from one approver to the next based on configured levels, with email and SMS notifications at every step.

This guide covers:

Section What You'll Learn
1. Settings Configuration How to enable workflow and configure notification preferences
2. Workflow Approvers Setup How to define the approval chain for each transaction type
3. My Preferences (Notification Settings) How individual users control their workflow notifications
4. Creating & Submitting an Expense Request Full lifecycle from draft to submission
5. Initiator's View What the employee who submitted sees, and how to cancel
6. Approver's View How to review, approve, or reject pending requests
7. Multi-Level Approval Flow How requests progress from one approver to the next
8. Quick Reference Status definitions, troubleshooting

Note: This guide uses Expense Requests as the primary example. The workflow for Leave Requests and Loan Requests follows the same pattern.

Articles in this guide

  1. How do I configure workflow approval settings?Before using workflow approvals, an administrator must enable workflow for the desired transaction types.
  2. How do I set up workflow approvers?After enabling workflow in Settings, you must define who approves each type of request and in what order .
  3. How do I choose my approval notification settings?Each user can control whether they receive workflow notifications via email, SMS, or both.
  4. How do I create and submit a request for approval?This section walks through the full process of creating an expense request and submitting it for approval.
  5. How do I follow a request I submitted?Once you submit a request to workflow, here is what you see and what actions are available to you.
  6. How do I approve or reject a request?When you are assigned as an approver, here is how you see and act on pending requests.
  7. How does multi-level approval work?This section explains how requests move through a multi-level approval chain.

Quick Reference

Request Status Lifecycle

Status Meaning Tab
Draft Request created but not yet submitted for approval 1. Draft
Submitted for Approval Request is in the approval chain, awaiting an approver's action 2. In Progress
Approved All approval levels completed successfully 3. Approved
Rejected An approver rejected the request 4. Rejected
Cancelled The requestor withdrew the request while it was in progress 4. Rejected

Workflow Progress Bar Icons

Icon Meaning
Pencil icon (highlighted gold) Current approver -- the request is waiting on this person
Lock icon (grey) Future approver -- this person will receive the request after the current level approves

Roles Summary

Role Key Actions
Administrator Enable workflow in Settings ▸ Automation ▸ Workflow Approvals, configure approver chains in Admin ▸ Workflow Approvers Setup
Employee (Initiator) Create request, add details, submit to workflow, cancel if needed
Approver Review pending requests from dashboard, approve or reject with remarks
Final Notifier Receives notification when a request is fully approved (no action required)

Troubleshooting

Issue Solution
"Submit to Workflow" button not visible Ensure workflow is enabled under Settings > Workflow Approvals for the relevant transaction type
No pending approvals on dashboard Verify you are configured as an approver in Admin > Workflow Approvers Setup
Not receiving email notifications Check My Preferences > Workflow Notifications -- ensure "Receive Workflow Email" is checked. Also verify your email address is on file in your employee profile.
Not receiving SMS notifications Check My Preferences > Workflow Notifications -- ensure "Receive Workflow SMS" is checked. Also verify your mobile number is on file.
Request stuck at a level The approver at that level has not yet taken action. Contact them directly or ask an administrator to check.
Need to change a submitted request Cancel the current request and create a new one with the updated details. Submitted requests cannot be edited.
Approver is unavailable An administrator can modify the approval chain in Admin > Workflow Approvers Setup to reassign or add a substitute approver.

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